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Houston is experiencing a surge in gun thefts from cars [1]

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Date: 2023-04-19

Gun shows, where background checks are lacking, have been a mainstay in Houston for many years, if not decades.

According to Everytown for Gun Safety, at least one gun is stolen from a car every 15 minutes, on average. Gun thefts from cars make up around 50 per cent of all gun thefts. What’s even more daunting is that stolen guns are used in a major portion of gun homicides and assaults. And what’s even more daunting is that not all states have laws mandating safe storage or the notification to authorities of a lost or stolen gun.

Most states do not have laws that specify how a firearm should be stored inside an unoccupied vehicle. Among the few that do, California and Connecticut require gun owners to securely store firearms in unattended vehicles, while Massachusetts and Oregon have laws requiring all firearms to be stored in a locked container or with a lock in place when they’re not in use in all locations, including vehicles, according to Allison Anderman, senior counsel with the Giffords Law Center. In Florida, gun owners 18 years old and older are generally allowed to keep a concealed firearm inside a privately owned vehicle, without a license, if the firearm is “securely encased," such as in an unlocked glove compartment, or "otherwise not readily accessible for immediate use." And when it comes to reporting lost or stolen guns, only 15 states require gun owners to report incidents, according to Everytown. That means the number of nationwide gun thefts is likely significantly higher, the group said.

Houston already has one of the highest rates of gun thefts from cars. An Everytown for Gun Safety analysis of FBI NIBRS data shows that all but 22 cities have higher rates of gun thefts from cars than Houston in 2020. In 2022, Houston had about 4,400 gun thefts from cars out of more than 40,000 nationwide, thereby making the Bayou City responsible for roughly 10 per cent of gun thefts from cars. And so far this year, the number of gun thefts from cars in Houston is already outpacing last year; there has been a 12 per cent increase in January and February, although March “fell by three stolen guns”.

In Houston, it is commonplace for vehicles, especially large pickups, to display bumper stickers like the NRA logo, the Punisher logo, the “Thin Blue Line”, even messages such as “Come and Take It” and “Coexist”. So thieves have plenty of easy targets, especially if these said vehicles are parked at concerts, sporting events, or bars. Furthermore, thieves would try to rob people leaving a gun range, in a crime labelled as “gun jugging”. Guns are more sought after than laptops and mobile phones due to their resale value and the fact that they cannot be tracked, unlike laptops and mobile phones, making guns hot in the black market. And if that’s still not enough, one should be reminded again that Texas is a permitless carry state.

The Houston Police Department has been giving away gun safes that can be placed in cars. So far, the number of gun safes given away is 1,000. However, “law abiding citizens” are still angered about gun-free zones, likely moreso than they are of the recent horrific shootings of Ralph Yarl, Kaylin Gillis, and Heather Roth.

x It’s almost as though these kinds of restrictions don’t work at deterring criminals from committing crimes, while also putting law abiding citizens in danger… — Tiffany Gilbert (@OatsMcGoat83) April 19, 2023

x Most loyal R voters - white people over 65. Most loyal Fox viewers - white people over 65. People most likely to believe "crime is out of control" narratives and live in fear, especially if their physical abilities decline - white people over 65. — Kendrick Remainechau (@KRemainechau) April 18, 2023

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/4/19/2164702/-Houston-is-experiencing-a-surge-in-gun-thefts-from-cars

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